Latest news with #Tems
IOL News
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- IOL News
Nigerian superstar Tems announced as performer for FIFA Club World Cup Halftime Show
Nigerian singer, songwriter, and record producer Tems, is among the artists that will be headling the FIFA Club World Cup Final Halftime Show. Image: Supplied/Adrienne Raquel Grammy award winning Nigerian singer, songwriter, and record producer Tems, has been announced among the headline performers for the FIFA Club World Cup Final Halftime Show. The 'Free Mind' hitmaker previously performed at the Global Citizen Festival: Accra stage in Ghana in 2022. 'We're going to bring the world together for a beautiful moment, to celebrate football, feel the unity that music brings, and improve the lives of millions of children through the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund,' shared Tems. Global superstars J Balvin and Doja Cat will also be headlining the inaugural FIFA Club World Cup Halftime Show taking place on Sunday, July 13, 2025 at the MetLife Stadium in New York. 'From Medellín to MetLife! I'm honoured to headline the first-ever halftime show of the FIFA Club World Cup final. It's a historic moment, for me, for Latin culture, and for every kid who dreams big,' said J Balvin who will be collaborating with Global Citizen for the fourth time. Grammy award-winning, multi-platinum star Doja Cat, previously headlined the 2024 Global Citizen Festival in Central Park, where she dazzled in a stunning beaded South African flag-themed dress, as well as Global Citizen LIVE, in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris in 2021. As an extension of his long-term role as the international curator of Global Citizen Festival, Chris Martin of Coldplay worked with Global Citizen in their role as producers of the FIFA Club World Cup Final Halftime Show. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ The show will support the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, an initiative announced by FIFA President Gianni Infantino and Global Citizen Co-Founder and CEO Hugh Evans at the Global Citizen NOW Summit in April, which aims to raise USD 100 million to provide children around the world with access to quality education and football. One dollar from every ticket sold for FIFA Club World Cup matches in the United States this summer will be donated to the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund. 'Together we are going to make history on a special occasion where football and music unites the world. FIFA and Global Citizen are partnering to support a powerful cause: giving every child the chance to learn, play, and dream,' said Infantino. IOL Entertainment
CNA
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- CNA
NewJeans' Danielle Marsh stars in a campaign for the new Omega Aqua Terra collection
K-pop idol Danielle Marsh of NewJeans is one of the faces of a new campaign by Omega promoting its new Seamaster Aqua Terra collection. The Australian-South Korean singer stars in the campaign alongside rising actress Marisa Abela, Academy Award-winning actress Ariana DeBose, Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Tems, model and entrepreneur Ashley Graham and Sunday Rose Kidman Urban, a new face in modelling and the daughter of actress Nicole Kidman. The campaign, titled What's Your Secret, highlights the Aqua Terra in a new, smaller size of 30mm. There are a total of 12 new references to choose from in a range of vibrant dials and precious materials. These include five stainless steel models with polished and brushed bracelets, one model in 18K Sedna Gold and three references in 18K Moonshine Gold, available in their pure form or in a choice of three two-tone gold combinations with stainless steel. Dial options include deep blue, deep purple, vibrant green, cool black, warm brown as well as mother-of-pearl options. Each model features a date window at six o'clock and a sapphire crystal caseback that reveals the movement within. 'I find that the Seamaster Aqua Terra's ladies' collection is actually a very neutral, elegant timepiece. And the one I'm wearing right now is the 30mm model with the pink dial and stainless-steel bracelet. I think it's a flattering size that fits perfectly on my wrist,' Marsh said of the new collection. The Aqua Terra collection debuts at a time when watch brands are embracing a trend towards smaller case sizes, catering to growing demand for more refined and wearable proportions. Blancpain recently launched a new Fifty Fathoms collection in a 38mm case size. The new Aqua Terra watches are powered by one of two new Master Chronometer movements, both with a 20mm diameter designed specifically for the 30mm case: Calibre 8750 (with a thickness of 3.98mm) for stainless steel and two-tone models and Calibre 8751 (with a thickness of 4.08mm) for precious metal models. These new movements feature the Co-Axial escapement, free-sprung balance with silicon balance spring, and automatic winding in both directions. They also boast magnetic resistance to 15,000 gauss and more than 48 hours of power reserve.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
New Wizkid Documentary Raises Huge Stakes Around a Quiet Superstar
When Wizkid: Long Live Lagos premiered at Tribeca Film Festival this month, the documentary on one of Afrobeats' foremost superstars marked a milestone for the genre in itself. While Tribeca is flush with music documentaries, this one – a primer on a face of and the state of African pop music as it's embedded itself in global pop culture – is a novelty. Later this year, Long Live Lagos will air on HBO and stream on HBO Max. In following Wizkid as he becomes the first African artist to play London's elite Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the film makes a case for why these feats matter. Wizkid is now nearly 15 years into his career, becoming one of the biggest stars in all of Africa before he broke barriers with his hit 'Essence' (featuring then-newcomer Tems) in 2021. Nearly a year after its release as a single from the acclaimed album Made in Lagos, 'Essence' was remixed with American heartthrob Justin Bieber and climbed to Number 9 on the Billboard Hot 100. This was nearly unheard for Nigerian artists. Then, Rolling Stone named 'Essence' the best song of 2021, another rarity for African music. Though Wizkid had been featured on one of the world's biggest smashes before – Drake's 'One Dance,' in 2016 – this moment belonged to him and Afrobeats in a way 'One Dance' didn't. While the genre had already been quietly on the rise for years, post 'Essence,' Afrobeats has been inescapable, opening the doors for more African artists to make U.S. radio, supercharging global parties and festivals, and powering tours across the West. When the film captures Wiz's performance of the hit at his triumphant and sold-out Tottenham show, with 60,000 people singing along, you feel its impact. More from Rolling Stone La-Di-Da-Di! Eighties Hip-Hop Great Slick Rick Is Back With 'Victory' House Great Vince Lawrence Recalls the Racism Fueling Disco Demolition Night in New Doc Clip How Metallica Inspired Fans to Walk and Rock Again After a Serious Motorcycle Accident Though 'Essence' swung open the gates, Wizkid's progeny like Tems, Asake, and Rema have seemed to bound past him at times. His two albums that followed Made in Lagos – More Love, Less Ego and Morayo – are excellent, but didn't dominate in the same way. U.S tours supporting both were cancelled, seemingly without comment or explanation. Online, fans speculated that if there is a cooling of Wizkid's star, it is because he is famously reserved. In an era that demands access and presence, he's an infrequent social media user and public speaker, revealing little about his personality or personal life. News of a Wizkid documentary seemed to signal a pivot, but Long Live Lagos is not the juicy tell-all it could have been. In fact, most of the film seems to be narrated by people in Wizkid's orbit, rather than the star himself. It offers a rare, head-on glimpse into his relationship and family, particularly with his manager of eight years, Jada Pollock (Wizkid shares three children with Pollock, two of whom are featured in the film, plus two more children from previous relationships). There is a quick but intimate reckoning with the death of his mother, for whom Morayo is named, which was preceded by an emergency surgery she entered the day of the Tottenham show. But largely, the film focuses on Wizkid as not just a man, but an institution, and the tension between the two. 'I'm a true artist before anything else,' Wiz says at one point. 'And I'm a human being; just a little kid from Surulere.' Yet, time to prepare for the concert is limited and anxiety is high ahead of it, as are the stakes. Wizkid's rise parallels the growth of an entire industry around African music that has never existed as formally and productively as it does now. He defied the odds to ascend from the ghetto of his youth and overcome Nigeria's colonial impediments. The African teammates, journalists, and fans in the film suggest that he represents a new vision of Africa to the world. His success pushes back against the barriers to equity, comfort, pride many diasporans have faced. There's a sense that if he quits or fails, some of that progress halts. The film opens with Femi Kuti, a musician who has followed in the footsteps of his trailblazing father, Fela Kuti. Femi's narration serves as a sort of conduit between Wizkid and Fela, the seventies icon who blended jazz, funk, and traditional Yoruba music into Afrobeat, without an 'S,' like the modern Nigerian pop music Wizkid makes. Although Fela is known throughout the diaspora as both a prominent pop star and revolutionary, Femi underscores that Fela never reached the global heights Wizkid has achieved, in part because the necessary infrastructure simply didn't exist. Wizkid is a proud Fela disciple, brandishing a tattoo of the man on his forearm. Behind Fela, Wizkid blossomed in the digital age, where young Africans and diasporans could easily and feverishly share and bond over his music. Wizkid explains that in the trenches of Surulere, Fela's legacy was a guiding light – it gave him a sense of possibility in music, a career often disregarded at home, and a sense of pride in that home in the first place. Throughout his commentary, Femi Kuti recounts the toll of colonialism's work to divorce Nigerians from a sense of self. 'How many of us dream in our languages? Think in our languages?' he asks, admitting that he does not after years of English indoctrination. This assimilation spread to music and culture, the documentary subjects attest, as have other Nigerian acts, like Obongjayar, who recently told Rolling Stone that growing up, Nigerian music and culture was uncool among his peers, who instead lauded American rap and television. As they prepare for the stadium show, a mystified Tops Bademosi—Wizkid's tour manager in London—explains that he had a similar experience, where he and friends didn't want to feel so African as kids. It's a common story that the rise of Afrobeats has helped rewrite. Wizkid explains that his African pride has always been integral, and Femi beams about it. 'We have decided to promote our culture and tradition through music,' says the elder artist. So, when Wizkid explains, 'My kids are kings. Anyone from where I'm from are kings – and that's what matters, the way you see yourself,' it's a look into the self-induced pressure to execute a show that serves as a regal reflection of his people. In one of the most telling and personal moments in Long Live Lagos, Wiz cuts a rehearsal of his song 'Ginger' to gently but firmly scold the band. They're already two weeks behind schedule, musically, and he doesn't feel them taking it as seriously as he is. 'We got to play like our life depends on this shit, 'cause it really does,' he says. 'I dont really give a fuck, I'll fire a nigga quick.' Together, Femi and British-Nigerian journalist Julie Adenuga make the most salient case for the power of representation in this case, when, as a socio-political tool, it can often feel superficial. 'It shouldn't take for people to like a song for them to feel that there is an entire country and continent of people that are worth investing in,' Adenuga explains, though she and Femi also note that it can bring eyes, ears, bodies, and wallets to Africa—resources that can eventually solve the real problems of underdevelopment. That potential can be felt in the recent influx of Westerners to Afrobeats capitals Lagos and Accra in recent years, driven by the musical experiences like concerts and parties their ancestral homes have to offer. One of the film's most important perspectives is that of Matthew Temitope Solomon, a Wizkid fan in Lagos who realizes his dream of seeing his idol in concert in London. Early on, Long Live Lagos shows how deeply engrained Wiz is in the Nigerian, city with an artful barrage of murals of him, bootleg CDs being traded, billboards he stars on, and stickers of his face on cabs. With Wizkid as a north star, Solomon also was brave enough to take an untraditional path, too – he's a part of a local BMX crew and tinkers with cars for sport. Still, he bemoans Nigeria's abysmal employment prospects for young men like him and lives with meager means. It seems unlikely he'll make it to Tottenham, against strict travel restrictions from Nigeria to the U.K., which other speakers in the film name as a cruel relic of colonialism; the British came and turned their land upside-down, and now restrict them from going to theirs. Though the film withholds just how Solomon had the financial and logistical means to make the London show, raising questions about how organic his participation in the documentary is, his bliss and wonder under the flashing lights and fireworks of a dream realized exemplify what Wizkid has meant to so many. Best of Rolling Stone Sly and the Family Stone: 20 Essential Songs The 50 Greatest Eminem Songs All 274 of Taylor Swift's Songs, Ranked
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Our Favorite Afropop Songs and Albums of 2025 So Far
I have the pleasure of living in the big, busy, diverse, and very diasporic city of Atlanta, where the summertime lituations are about to get very real. There are a ton of great DJs in town spinning all sorts of Afropop and adjacent genres all year long – Afrobeats, amapiano, African, Caribbean, and Brazilian dance music and more – but nationally, it feels like there's always been this idea that these sounds are especially suited for the summer. I've worried this can pigeonhole African artists, stereotype their music, and stifle the success of their crossover, but I've also had a few other thoughts. Over the past five years or so, we've seen stars like Wizkid, Tems, Rema, Burna Boy, Uncle Waffles and even more emerging acts find success on tour, on the radio, and/or on social media all year long. Plus, so much of African music does make you feel good, does perfectly soundtrack social situations, and frankly, is a vibe when it's nice out and you're shaking off stress. And lastly, artists of all genres often clamor to get their music out in time for summer, too. SZA had originally planned for her hit album SOS to drop in time for a 'SZA summer' in 2022, and lowkey panicked when she had to drop in December. In the West, the warmer months are naturally a time folks are freer, more active, and more open to new experiences More from Rolling Stone Karol G, Reneé Rapp, Burna Boy, and All the Songs You Need to Know This Week Excitement Turns to Terror in New Trailer for Astroworld Tragedy Doc Travis Scott's Cactus Jack Brand Unveils WWE Merch Collab for Wrestlemania 41: Shop Pieces Here So, in anticipation of what I hope will be a summer full of Afropop smashes and in celebration of nearly half a year gone by (insane), I'm naming some of my favorite songs and albums across Afropop and a few derivative scenes, in alphabetical order. Songs Black Sherif and Seyi Vibez, 'Sin City''Sin City,' was a true highlight of Ghanaian rapper-singer Black Sherif's sophomore album Iron Boy. Though last year, Sherif told me his follow up to 2022's The Villain I Never Was might not be so heavy, Iron Boy is in fact packed with serious themes and dense sounds. 'Sin City' was a much welcome moment of levity, even if he sounds like he's still balancing hard times and choices on it. Burna Boy and Travis Scott, 'TaTaTa'I, for one, am quite enjoying Travis Scott's pivot towards the continent. I've loved his Rema fandom, I thought he ate on Asake's 'Active,' and now he and Burna Boy make an excellent team on 'TaTaTa,' the latest single from his forthcoming album, No Sign of Weakness, set to drop in July (Burna is good for a summer drop – his last four albums have all been released between July and August). The high-octane Brazilian percussion, unabashed sexuality, and pops of humor ('The road I dey go dey front, but I was looking back/'Cause of nyash, all for the sake of nyash,' Burna reveals) make this song so fun. Darkoo, 'Like Dat'Another thing I've been liking is Afrobeats trending backwards, with artists like Rema and Darkoo tapping into the tambour and aesthetics of the genre circa the 2000s and early 2010s. Darkoo has also been tapping into dancehall of that era too, with the Brick-and-Lace-sampling hit 'Favorite Girl' and now the music video for 'Like Dat,' which channels the video for Sean Paul and Sasha's 'I'm Still in Love With You' from 2002. 'Like Dat' and its stark, stringy synths take me back to the hall parties of yesteryear. Joé Dwèt Filé & Burna Boy, '4 Kampé II'French Haitian singer Joé Dwèt Filé's '4 Kampé' was already a kompa smash before Burna Boy hopped on the track, replete with rolling drums, a rousing electric keyboard breakdown, and Filé's slick creole. With Burna Boy hopping on the track speaking creole too, paying homage to Haitian and Francophone African culture, and also offering his signature lyrical charm in English, it makes for a thrilling meet-up of diasporic relatives. Len, 'See Gbedu'There are a few tracks by UK rapper Len that keep my love of Alté – experimental pop often from Nigeria – alive, including this one, with dashes of Nigerian pidgin and video game synths. It's cool but urgent, with Len spitting in a hurried whisper all 86 seconds of this song that I could listen to for much longer. Last year, he told The Face how much a visit to Nigeria inspired his last solo album Cobalt: SoMuchMore. 'I always want to try and bring things back to Africa – the rhythm, the flex, all of it,' he said. Olamidé and Wizkid, 'Kai!'Olamidé is silky smooth on 'Kai!' Its the type of song that's his guest's, Wizkid's, usual bag but, this one suits the YBNL boss even better. 'Mr. Bombastic, Mr. Romantic,' he flexes, 'African boy wey dey do magic/Came in a Porsche, left in a Lambo.' The production is super decadent, dripping with saxophone and totally gives regality, luxury, and crisp, airy linen suits. Original Koffee, 'Koffee'Look, there's no denying that African and Caribbean cultures and music are biological siblings, so in the diasporan spirit I do have to shout my girl Koffee out for coming back on the scene after a roughly three-year hiatus with an absolute heater. Ghanaian producer GuiltyBeatz (incredible, multifaceted musician, collaborator to Tems, Beyoncé and many more) laced her with an impeccable background of simple percussion, groovy bass, and rich horns to float on. Koffee's always been a skilled sing-jay, evoking the flows of some of dancehall's best deejays and hip-hop's best rappers, but she's back with more bite here, owning the scale of her impact and accomplishments. Rema, 'Baby (Is It a Crime)''Baby (Is It a Crime)' is Rema's first solo single since the success of his sophomore album Heis, and it's uber-cool and nonchalant compared with the frenetic, brooding album. Before the song was released in February, his fans clamored for the Sade-sampling track since he teased a snippet in November. The full version finds Rema at his sensual best. 'I just had the biggest debut in my career,' he told me the day it dropped, while we talked for his Rolling Stone cover. It earned nearly 3 million streams on its first day, and had racked up 27.2 million streams as of March 2. Shallipopi, 'Laho'Shallipopi is one of the coolest street pop acts to emerge from Nigeria in recent years, making a splash with the hit 'Cast' featuring Odumodublvck and repping for his hometown of Benin City on Rema's 'Benin Boys.' He's created another moment with 'Laho,' the laid back anthem that's taken over African social media with the empowering bars, 'Minister of enjoyment/Intercontinental/Monumental/We go live forever.' Elsewhere, much of the song is performed in Bini, his local language. Solis4Evr feat. ytboutthataction, '4K'Solis4Evr and ytboutthataction channel gentle faith and confidence in '4K,' a dreamy, girly meetup where ytboutthataction promises, 'I go to church, I'll never chase you,' as she and Solis brush off disloyal friends and lovers. As an emerging artist from Lagos, Solis hit the streets of Cape Town to ask strangers to judge the song through headphones, and her politeness plus the participants' earnest responses has made it one of my favorite social videos from a musician this year. Tiwa Savage, 'You 4 Me'Tiwa Savage has always had strong R&B credentials, having written for Babyface, Fantasia, Monica, and Mýa, plus performing background vocals for Whitney Houston's final album, 2009's I Look to You. 'You 4 Me' is a charming showcase of that side of her, sampling Tamia's hit 'So Into You' and making it her own with Afrobeats drums and singing with the swagger of a rapper. Uncle Waffles feat. Royal MusiQ, Uncool MC, Xduppy, & CowBoii, 'Zenzele'As a DJ and producer, Uncle Waffles rarely misses. Here, she's curated a tip-top crew in Royal MusiQ, Uncool MC, Xduppy and CowBoii for one of her most playful songs yet – I love the fat, circusy horns on this one; it's like Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey went went amapiano. I also love the adorable, partnered dance that's popping up with it – my favorite video is of Tyla and her team hitting it. Albums Davido, 5iveI adore the love songs on 5ive, like the driven 'Don't Know' and sensual 'Offa Me,' with Victoria Monét. In fact, Davido comes out plainly as a 'Lover Boy,' with two of the Francophone Africa's finest, Tayc and Dadju. On 5ive, Davido celebrates the resilience of love, lilting to his partner that she's the most important thing that he could sing about on '10 Kilo.' Aptly, the album is at its best on songs like 'CFMF' and the single 'Funds,' where it trades the amapiano-indebted Afrobeats Davido has refined for refreshing romances with the warmth of previous hits of his like 'Assurance' (a clear ode to his wife, Chioma), 'Sweet in the Middle,' and 'La La.' Hevi, HeviTanzanian singer-songwriter Hevi's self-titled EP is another project full of romance, teeming with both devotion and disappointment. Though her sweet voice and classic production shine on all five songs, the breezy serenade 'My Rider' is one of my favorites. The way she coos 'I'm never never losing you/I choose you/Forever you're my family,' makes me melt. Hevi only emerged in 2023 and this marks her debut project, but her music exudes the grace and self-assurance of an old soul. Obongjayar, Paradise NowOn Paradise Now, Nigerian-British shape-shifter Obongjayar weaves together highlife, electro-pop, all kinds of rock, and a touch of rap into a tapestry on which he grieves broken relationships, builds new ones, and asserts himself. He intended to call the album Instant Animal, like the crashing, psychedelic jam session of a song of the same name on Paradise Now. He was thinking about what it means to really surrender to a moment. But instead, he named it after a series of parties where he tested the tracks, translating the thrill of a live performance to what actually ended up on wax. Zinoleesky, Gen ZThough 25 year-old Zinoleesky hasn't had the same inescapable crossover success as his Nigerian street-pop peer Asake, his cleverly titled sophomore effort Gen Z is a testament to the radiant taste in rich production, cool wit, and youthful zeal that has made him beloved at home. He's subtly a master of all moods, from the triumphant '2Baba Flex' where he name checks Afrobeats stars by their golden ages, to the sexy, electric 'Suit & Tie' with hip-hop crooner Toosii. The latter, plus link ups like 'Ayamase' with British rapper Ms Banks prove he's he's a malleable collaborator too. World domination might not be far off. Made in Africa is a monthly column by Rolling Stone staff writer Mankaprr Conteh that celebrates and interrogates the lives, concerns, and innovations of African musicians from their vantage point. Don't forget to check out the songs we covered this month and more in the Made In Africa playlist. Best of Rolling Stone The 50 Greatest Eminem Songs All 274 of Taylor Swift's Songs, Ranked The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time
Arab News
6 days ago
- Business
- Arab News
Harnessing Africa's creative boom
In February, Afrobeats singer Tems won the Grammy for Best African Music Performance. Her achievement underscores the genre's growing popularity, exemplified by more than 15 billion streams on Spotify. It is also part of a broader cultural renaissance, as Africa's creative industries — from music and film to fashion — rapidly expand their global reach. African culture's rise to prominence could play a major role in the continent's economic transformation, offering significant opportunities for a large and growing youth population. The creative industries are projected to account for 4 percent of Africa's gross domestic product and up to 10 percent of global creative exports by 2030, creating more than 20 million new jobs. As I highlight in a new report, the growth of Africa's creative industries is driven by two major forces: digitalization and demographic shifts. But to unlock the sector's full economic potential, policymakers must make strategic investments and implement targeted reforms. Digital innovation is rapidly reshaping Africa's cultural landscape, creating new pathways to economic development. Increased access to emerging technologies is fueling the rise of digital payment platforms, while social media, streaming services and online marketplaces are lowering entry barriers for creators and entrepreneurs. Artificial intelligence alone is projected to add nearly $1.5 trillion to the continent's GDP by 2030, transforming how creative work is produced, distributed and consumed. Between 2016 and 2022, Netflix invested $175 million in South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya, reflecting its confidence in Africa's creative output. Demographic shifts are equally transformative, as the rapid expansion of Africa's middle class and consumer base is driving demand for locally produced creative goods. By 2060, the middle class is expected to comprise more than 40 percent of the continent's population. At the same time, Africa's youth population is projected to double by 2050, making it the only region in the world with a growing working-age population. In addition to expanding Africa's domestic markets, this demographic dividend is poised to transform the global cultural landscape, with African creators playing an increasingly influential role. African policymakers must harness this cultural momentum to advance economic, social and development goals. Notably, creative industries tend to employ a higher proportion of young people than other parts of the economy. With an estimated 11 million young Africans expected to enter the workforce annually through 2030, targeted investment in these industries could be a highly effective strategy for addressing the continent's youth unemployment problem. In sectors like fashion, about 90 percent of micro, small and medium-size enterprises operate informally. Formalizing these businesses could boost productivity, broaden access to finance and foster long-term growth. A more structured creative economy could also advance gender equality, especially in countries like Ethiopia, where women comprise roughly 85 percent to 90 percent of the apparel workforce. African governments should adopt business-friendly policies tailored to the unique needs of African entrepreneurs and creators. Landry Signe To be sure, significant obstacles must be overcome to realize the sector's full potential. Africa currently accounts for just 1.5 percent of the global creative economy and 5 percent of the world's cultural and creative industry jobs, and the sector faces persistent funding gaps, chronic underinvestment and weak regulatory frameworks. Many African governments allocate less than 1 percent of their national budgets to creative industries. Intellectual property protections remain a key vulnerability as well, with UNESCO estimating that 50 percent to 75 percent of African film and audiovisual revenues are lost to piracy. To tackle this challenge, governments must bolster antipiracy laws and improve enforcement mechanisms. The African Union's Plan of Action on Cultural and Creative Industries is a step in the right direction, but its success will depend on coordinated national implementation, the development of clear intellectual property guidelines and more robust institutional capacity. Alongside intellectual property reform, African governments should adopt business-friendly policies tailored to the unique needs of African entrepreneurs and creators. Given the high levels of informality across the sector, these frameworks must be flexible and inclusive. A prime example is Morocco's rebate system, which attracted international productions and helped the country's film industry achieve record profits in 2023. Access to funding is essential. The financial measures introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic to aid the arts sector provide a useful model for how direct public investment can support creative industries. Strategic investment in digital infrastructure is also critical, especially for creative industries like fashion e-commerce. National governments should also collaborate with regional and international funders. Encouragingly, the African Export-Import Bank announced last year that it would double its investment — to $2 billion over the next three years — in the Creative Africa Nexus initiative, which connects creative professionals and investors from across the continent. More broadly, African governments must develop forward-looking policies that accelerate the growth of creative industries. By tapping into the talent, innovation and entrepreneurial drive of Africa's youth, the continent has the potential to position its creative economy as a global powerhouse, driving GDP growth, expanding cultural influence and shaping a future defined by African-led prosperity.
